Greg's Story

Anyone who has ever met Greg Zelden will remember his booming voice, his compassionate heart and his big bear hugs. Greg was the kind of man that many people aspire to be. He was a mentor to so many, and he did not take that responsibility lightly. He lived each day trying to better the lives of everyone he would encounter. Of course, he never met a stranger. From the time he learned your name, he considered you a friend.

Greg started his journey in sports medicine at Southeastern Louisiana University under the direction of Bob “Doc” Goodwin. Greg was a football player at Southeastern and visited the training room, and Doc, many times during his career. It didn’t take long for Greg to realize that he wanted to be like Doc,and instantly he began to see him as a mentor and a friend. That friendship continued even after Greg’s graduation from Southeastern where they worked together at Zelden Physical Therapy and at Fairway Medical. They continued to learn from each other daily, and Greg recognized how impactful Doc had been on his life and his career. He aspired to be the type of mentor to others that Doc was to him.



The next stop on his journey was PT school at LSU where he learned the nuts and bolts of therapy and rehab. Greg learned that long hours, hard work and dedication really do pay off. He took that knowledge, hard work and dedication with him when he went to work for Physical Rehab Partners in Covington, LA. This is also where Greg met his wife, Deonne, and they began their journey into 21 years of marriage….but that’s another story!

After a few years at PRP, Greg decided it was time to venture out and open his own clinic, Zelden Physical Therapy. It was there that he really began to branch out in the community. He took a tiny bit of business knowledge, along with a huge heart and incomparable amounts of drive, determination and hard work to build his practice. He said many, many times how he was truly blessed to be surrounded by the finest employees anywhere. In fact, he didn’t really consider anyone as just an employee, or even just a friend…they were FAMILY. The patients enjoyed coming to therapy, the employees enjoyed coming to work and Greg enjoyed being with all of them and sharing his knowledge with anyone who would listen!

 As his family grew and the responsibilities of business ownership did too, Greg decided to go to work for Fairway Medical Center. This change allowed him more time to spend with his family, who were the heart and soul of his world. He knew time spent working was time spent away from his family, but he still thoroughly loved every aspect of working as a physical therapist. Fairway offered him an opportunity to balance the things that he loved.

Greg left Fairway Medical to help establish Pinnacle Medical Physical Therapy along with the Pinnacle Medical Network. A professional dream was realized with the concept of having multiple services offered under one roof. This became his new passion.

Not long after Pinnacle was established, Greg was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. He was determined not to let that slow him down, and he entered each day living his dream at the same time he was fighting for his life. Throughout almost 3 years of treatments, Greg never lost his drive or determination. He remained active in the Pinnacle business as well as his family. Always continuing to teach, he inspired and set an example for everyone around him.

Greg was a husband, a father, a physical therapist, a mentor, a teacher and a friend. He was loved by all who met him. It is because of his character that the Greg Zelden Foundation was established. The Foundation recognizes that Greg truly impacted and improved the lives of all he met. This is his legacy that the Foundation will continue. This is how Greg will continue to inspire others in the future.

The world truly is a better place because he was in it.